CRIME: Police ID slain man as local math teacher, arrest wife

Authorities confirmed Thursday that the man found dead in his home this week was Jason Harper, a Carlsbad High School math teacher and former volleyball coach.

Police have arrested
his wife
, Julie Elizabeth Harper, 39, who had recently filed for divorce, as a suspect in the slaying.

Police found the slain man about 11:15 p.m. Tuesday at the home in the 2400 block of Badger Lane, said Carlsbad police Lt. Kelly Cain.

The police were called and asked to check on Jason Harper by Paul Pfingst, a criminal lawyer and former county District Attorney who is representing Julie Harper, Pfingst said Thursday.

Harper and the couple's three children ---- identified in court records as a 1-year-old son, a 6-year-old daughter and an 8-year-old son ---- were missing and sought by police much of the day Wednesday.

On Wednesday afternoon, police got a call from Pfingst, who arranged for Harper to turn herself in, Cain said.

"I was in contact with Carlsbad deputies," Pfingst said. "When they called me and asked about the children, I offered to have the children provided immediately."

Police found her at a relative's home in the 11200 block of Lake Rim Road in San Diego and arrested her on suspicion of murder.

Authorities also found and took custody of the couple's children, who were safe and not with their mother when police found her, said Jodee Sasway, a spokeswoman for the Carlsbad Police Department.

Lina and Homer Harper, Jason Harper's parents,
spoke with NBC San Diego
, the North County Times' media partner, and said they had been in constant contact with authorities about their son's death. They said they were planning to come to San Diego soon.

"It's a devastating loss. He was a wonderful son, a wonderful father and to think that he is no longer in our lives is just unbearable,” Jason’s mother Lina told NBC. “Right now our focus is on our grandchildren during this tough time."

Investigators did not have any indication Thursday morning that other homicide suspects were at large, Cain said.

Police found a white Ford SUV registered to Jason Harper a few blocks from the family's home, Sasway said. Police were still looking Thursday morning for a Toyota Sienna registered to Julie Harper.

Cain said investigators had not found a murder weapon as of Thursday morning.

Investigators did not release details about the slain man's injuries, pending the results of the autopsy.

Police requested that the results of the autopsy be sealed while the homicide investigation was ongoing.

Court records show Julie Harper filed for a divorce Aug. 2. In divorce papers, she said her husband was aggressive and occasionally violent toward her.

"At times, respondent has become violent with me by pushing me, shoving me, grabbing my arm and twisting my wrists," Harper said in the documents.

Neighbors said Julie Harper is a real estate agent.

A neighbor who asked not to be identified described Julie Harper as somewhat quiet and reserved, and not nearly as outgoing as her husband. The neighbor said she often saw Jason Harper in the neighborhood with the children, and she said he "just seemed like a great dad."

Pfingst, Julie Harper's attorney, said his client is grieving.

"She's despondent. She misses her children," Pfingst said. "She understands that this is a tragedy. There is grief for a whole bunch of families and people, and she is one of the people grieving."